Continuous pressing machine



Filed June 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l 11v VENTOR 224/4 zZ (2/?5044 BY ,9

v 2 mommy? Feb. 7, 1933. E. J.,CARROLL- CONTINUOUS PRESSING MACHINE Filed June 15-, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m W i T I/JV% 1 L PM Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT/I OFFICEE'F CONTINUOUS PRESSING MACHINE Application filed June 15, 1929. Serial No. 371,104.

The invention disclosed in this application relates topressing machines for laundry and the like and particularly to the continuous type. 5 In the finishing oflaundry articles where pressing is employed there are a plurality of lays ofthe garment upon the bed necessary for a complete finishing of the article. These several operations or lays are usually accom 0 plished by repeated operations of the same pressing machine. Inan installation of this type each operator must become proficient in'making all of the lays for each garment P which not only renders it diflicult to break in operators but prevents the speeding up of the operations for the maximum output. Furthermore, some particular operator may be especially good on some lays and poor on others so thatthe object of this invention is to provide a pressing machine wherein one operator makes one particular lay of a garment and the several lays are distributed be tween the operators,'.so that not only is an operator placed upon alay to which she is particularly adapted but she becomes highly proficient in the single lay because of its repetition and because she has no, others to make at her station, nor is it necessary for her a to operate the control for the press operation as thisis automatically taken care of.

' The object of the present invention is to provide an improved pressing machine of the continuous type, including a plurality of a 3 pressing heads spaced apart along a path, to-

gether with a plurality of beds, with more registration with each other, for the pressing.

orironing operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described and so arranged as to provide, between successive pressing heads, a loading and unloading station, as well asintermediate operating stations where the several operators apply Fig. 1. Each'of these arms terminates at its the work to andiremov'e it fromthe beds and change the lays, so "that their joint effort. produces complete finishing of the work.

I Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter. V

In the drawings, which represent one suitable embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a plan view; Fig. 2 is a detail view, partly broken out and in section, of controlling valve mechanism; Fig; 3 is a cross section on the line 33, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 isa side elevation partly in section, 'of the machine shown in- Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is. a detail sectional elevation on the line 5+5, Fig. 1; and Fig." 6 is a detail' sectional plan view, showing the drive for the bed support or frame. V Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a central support provided withan; upstanding shaft 2 having a ball-bearing support 3 for a bed support hub 4 freely rotatable upon the ball bearing. structure and the support 1. This hub is provided with a plurality of evenly spaced arms 5, ,nine'being shown in free end in a pair of eyes 6. for a pin 7 upon which a bed arm/7 is pivotally mounted. Each of these bed arms at its outer end is provided with a bed support'8. carrying a lower position. It is also quite obvious that by reason of the pivotal mounting "of the v arms 7 a the beds may be raised, which movementis for producing the ironing operation as will appear.

Spaced around the beds, andtheir supports, as above described, are a plurality of press head structures each of which com prises a frame or base 13 secured in place and carrying a vertical standard 14 having a head arm 15 extending inward andieach provided with a head 16 adapted toregister with the several beds when they are in the proper position. As shown in the drawings, there are four of these press head structures and they are spaced about the bed structure to provide three equal intervening spaces or stations for completely exposed beds with a greater spacing at .one .point,.in the instance shown, and providea spaceior station for a pair ofexposed beds, this station being the loading and unloading station, the others being for change in lay purposes.

Any suitable means may be provided for producing relative movement" of the heads and beds toward each other when they are in registering relation, as will appear, for causing. the pressing. or. ironing operation. Eorrthisrpurpose, the-drawings show each base 13,-provided with: a; fluid cylinder and piston. .structureincluding;a cylinder 17, a piston. 18 and a. plunger. or piston rod. 19 adapted to engage under the-:bedsupport 8 ofzany. of the beds when ibrought into position above theplunger. Each of. the cylinders below. the piston isconnectedby means of. a pipea20 with avalvecasing chamber 21 com-. municating. by a. valve seat 22. with a steam supply 23. regulated.by a control valve 24. Thischamber'21. also communicates by a valveseat'25. with an: exhaustv 26.: Engage ing ;va1veseat22 is. a-steami inlet valve 27 connectedto'a valvestem 28 while .the valve seat 25 maybe engagedby an exhaust valve 29 provided with a valve stem 30. These two valve stems are. connected: to, operate together by means-ofalever 31 pivoted "to the frame at 32.; lhe arrangementis'such thatwhen one valve is' closed-the other is opened.v Valve stem 28 is adaptedto be .actuated by any suitablemotor. means the means here shown being a solenoid. or. electromagnet structure generally:indicated at83. The supply. pipes 23 and exhaust pipes 26 of the valve mecha-. nism .ofthe several press. head structures areconnectedltosa suitable supply line B landito aisuitable exhaust line 35. 2

Suitable means is also provided .for. rotatingthebed carrying frame insuch .manner as to move the'several beds of the group along their. path of. movementsuccessively into registeringrelation with the pressing, heads shown.. The means. provided for the. purpose. comprises abevellecbdriving. gear. 36 fixed to the hub 40f thebed frame and .actu; ated by a pinion37- driven by a worm wheel 38",Whl0lll11ill1l'l is actuatedzby. aworm on shaft 39 driven by anysuitable motor means, such as. the electric motor 40.

With the arrangement described, it is obvious thatbystarting and stoppingthe motor lO'by meansof its connection to its source of. current, .the. bed carrying frame may be rotated about. the. central: vertical: axis to bringtheseverahbeds carried by the. frame into? and out vof'registration with .the several heads. In. this manner each: bed. can be brought in turn into registration with a head and at the next movement to a position between two adjacent heads, and in the particular arrangement shown in the drawings, such as at the upper right hand corner in Fig. 1, there are two positions of the beds between adjacent heads, this particular positionbeing'the loading. and unloading station, as before stated.

Assuming the parts in any definite registering: relation between heads and beds, such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pressing or ironing effect may beproduced upon work under the heads by elevating the beds which are at those head positions into pressing engagement with the heads, which is accomplished by energization' of the solenoids or electro? magnets- 33 to movethevalve devicesto. a.- position supplyin fiiiidpressure to the several; cylinders 1 thereby elevating the plungers or. piston rods 1 19" and? liftting. the beds into contact with-the heads and,.pr0-' ducing ironing. pressure. During. theirom ing operation, operator'sat the loading. and unloading station and at: they change of lay stations can perform ,their respectivev duties;v and when the ironingoperationis concluded. the valve devices-areshiftedto theexhaust position, allowing the plungers 19. andlthe active beds to move down, whereuponthe bed'carryingframe is rotatedonemore step, and 1 the cycle of operations proceeds. as. be.-- fore.

Having. described my invention, If claim:

1.' In. a. pressing, machine, a, number of spaced heads arranged inv a path, aplurality of .uniformly spaced beds in said path, there being more than-twice'as manybeds as there are heads andthe heads except-at oneportionof the path being spacedIapartadistance. equal to thespacing. between abedand the nextbed save one, means for. moving. the groupqofbeds alongsaid'path for. effecting. registration of successivebeds with ahead, and means for effecting. pressing engagement of theheads andzthose ofthe' beds whichare in: registration therewith.

2. In. apressing; machine, a number of spacedheads arranged in anendless path, aplurality of uniformly spaced beds in said path, there beingmore than twiceas many beds as there are heads and theheads except atoneportionof the. path being spaced. apart a distance equal to the spacing betweenalten. nate beds, means for movingthe group of beds along said path for effecting registration of successive .beds withaihead, and means for effecting pressing engagement-of all of the heads and those of the cooperating beds which are in registration with said heads.

3: Apressing machine. of. the class de-. scribed .in claim 1 wherein the beds are arranged in a circular path on' a. rotatable sup: port inthe form of av circular frame.

at. A. pressing machine. of the-class. de-

scribed in claim 1 wherein the beds are arranged in a circularpath on a rotatable support in the form of a circular frame, and

wherein the heads are so spaced as to pro- 5 vide two exposed beds between two of the heads.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature.

ELflL J. CARROLL. 

